


Dave's Alters

by Astralic



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Gen, Humanstuck, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25873846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astralic/pseuds/Astralic
Summary: Living without Bro is the best thing that has ever happened to the Strider brothers. Learning to live with the aftermath of his lingering presence however isn't as great. Especially not when a diagnosis nearly up and triples the size of their household.Summary by Katreal with a few edits
Kudos: 21





	1. Dave

**Author's Note:**

> This story will switch perspectives from Dave to his alters as well as John and maybe a bit of Dirk. Originally only Karkat was going to be Dave's only alter but I added Calliope and Caliborn because I love the cherubs.  
> All of the Alpha kids are 18, the Beta kids are 16, just in case there might be some confusion of why Dirk and Dave live alone now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some dave stuff before we get into the stuff a bit more

Your name is Dave Strider, and you are currently debating with your best friend John Egbert about his favorite movie. Yeah you know arguing with your friend about movies is a little bit weird after barely escaping from a fucking puppet filled apartment with your life only three months prior but you're just that cool. Cool is your middle name you know, David Cool Elizabeth Strider, that's your full name. Anyways you glance back at your screen and continue your conversation with John

EB: Come on Dave we've talked about this a lot!

EB: Con Air is the best!

TG: yeah and i'm fucking speaking with president obama

TG: which would be awesome if it was true

TG: but guess what it's not

TG: sure I can accept that you like nick cage but really, con fucking air

EB: Con Air was Nick Cage's best film!

TG: come on dude

TG: weve talked about this like 100 times

TG: which is kind of a lot

EB: Only you and Dirk say Con Air sucks

EB: That means because of democracy Con Air wins!

TG: cant argue with democracy

TG: i hang out with democracy like were a fucking rap duo

TG: which you know we are

TG: spitting out fire like a dragon

TG: getting babes and cash

TG: me and democracy are tight

`

TG: fuck dirks calling me seeya egbert

EB: Bye Dave!

ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering  turntechGodhead [TG]

When you hear Dirk's voice you flinch and tense up before you calm down, you quickly end the conversation with John and turn off your computer. You turn around and see him behind you. You should ask what he wants.

Dave: What's up bro?

Dirk: I have some good news

Dave: You set up a meeting with President Obama?

Dirk: I wish, but no, you're going to go to a school in a week

You immediately sit up, this was not the news you were expecting, you were expecting something like him ordering a pizza. you mean you knew you were going to be going to school soon but you didn't expect it right now, well not right now, in a week. You're beginning to think Dirk's starting a habit about setting up important life shit without discussing it with you, first, it was the escape and then it was therapy and now it's school.

Dave: What the fuck bro? Why didn't you tell me about this sooner

Dirk: Chill, I've been busy with some shit so I forgot to tell you. We're going to buy you some stuff in a few days

Dave: Alright I'm chill dude, cool as a cucumber as always

Dirk: Sick

Dirk gives a thumbs up and walks away shutting your door. You get back on your computer and decide to message Jade.

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering  gardenGnostic [GG]

TG: sup harley

GG: Dave!!!!!!!! 

TG: thats me the one and only dave strider 

GG: How are you Dave??? 

TG: you know im chill as always 

TG: whats up with you jade 

GG: I'm great! Jake made some great pancakes today! So I'm in a pretty good mood! 

TG: damn i could use some pancakes 

TG: flat fluffy miracles of food 

TG: cover that shit in syrup and butter and youre in heaven

GG: i agree! pancakes are great!

GG: i havent eaten pancakes in a while

TG: damn you're missing the fuck out

TG: while you're without pancakes im in a world of maple heaven

TG: im straight up in a mountain of pancakes

TG: i lied i dont have shit 

TG: because i ate it all 

GG: wow! you ate a mountain of pancakes? 

TG: yeah im drowning in cake 

TG: betty crocker cant even make this much cake 

TG: she can try but its just not happening 

GG: she wishes she can make that many pancakes! >:)

TG: damn straight 

TG: anyways jade 

TG: rather than talk to you to show off one of my sick raps or go one of my strider brand rambles i actually had some news 

GG: ooooh! whats the news! 

TG: im going to school in a week 

TG: dirk signed me up and forgot to tell me 

GG: wait really? 

GG: what school are you going to? 

TG: i dont fucking know he didnt tell me 

TG: but its probably the only one in our area 

GG: so your going to school with us???!!! 

TG: no im going to school with ben stiller 

TG: were going to be tight 

TG: like some kind of shitty snake 

GG: i hope you and Mr. Stiller become friends! 

TG: mr. stiller come on jade 

GG: so you're really going to school with us? 

TG: probably, ill have to ask dirk about it though 

GG: i cant wait to see you in person! 

GG: ill show you all of my school friends! 

TG: school friends 

TG: youve been friend cheating on me 

TG: how could you jade 

TG: you broke my heart 

GG: sorry for friend cheating on you! 

GG: but I'm not the only one! john and rose have school friends too! 

TG: oh hell no 

TG: your lying 

TG: john wouldn't betray me like this 

GG: its true dave! 

TG: next time i talk to egbert im going to ask him 

GG: oh hold on one second! 

GG: jake told me to tell you to tell dirk that he said hi and to please message him! 

TG: damn i just got betrayed and im being asked to be a mail person 

TG: too soon jake english 

TG: too soon 

TG: anyways yeah ill pass it on 

GG: alright then! 

GG: bye dave! 

TG: wait i didnt say i was going to leave 

gardenGnostic [GG] ceased pestering  turntechGodhead [TG]

TG: god damn it jade

Well then, you guess that conversation ended, whatever it's fine. You stretch before getting up to send Jake's message to Dirk. You creak open the door and go out to look for Dirk, he's probably in his new room. You suppose it's not really all that new now, you've lived in this apartment for almost three months, and you still aren't used to it. While you're glad you escaped from Bro you miss some stuff about your old apartment. You miss the chattering of crows in your room, and you miss the layout you were used to. While you don't exactly miss Bro you certainly miss your apartment. You knock on the door to Dirk's room, a habit you've been trying to pick up ever since you left. The door opens and Dirk is standing there, holding what appears to be a bundle of wires.

Dirks: What's up Dave? 

Dave: I got a message for you from Jake

Dirk tenses for a second, you try to read his expression and he seems frustrated? You guess him and Jake had a fight or something, knowing Jake it was probably less of a fight and more of Jake being a dumbass again.

Dirk: Cool, what is it.

Yeah definitely Jake being a dumbass.

Dave: Jake says hi and to message him apparently

Dirk mumbles something and you definitely catch "English" in there.

Dirk: Thanks for passing his message.

You back up as Dirk closes the door, you walk back to your room and get on your computer again. You decide you might as well play some video games. You hop on some shitty flash game website and play some games for a few hours, you check the clock and somehow like magic, it's 3 am, did you really play flash games for four hours? Well shit, you should probably go to bed, its not like you really care about sleep but you try to maintain something resembling a sleep schedule so you can message your friends. You hop on your bed and toss some sheets on your self letting your mind drift to sleep. As you are nearly asleep you begin to hear a voice which isn't yours start to take over your thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how was that first chapter?


	2. Dirk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write for a few reasons. I hope you'll enjoy it though!  
> The format is different than the last one due to me not being happy with it

Everything seemed to be going well so far, the optical lens appeared to be functional. Soon, the head would be complete. At this rate, your android would be complete in a week. Oh, you should probably introduce yourself, after all, you don’t want the readers to be confused, even if you don’t exactly know about them.   
Your name is Dirk Strider, you are eighteen years old, have never been to high school, and you are developing the world’s first Android/Sentient AI. Now you might be thinking you’d need to at least graduate high school to attempt to get such an achievement, but you know you don’t exactly need high school, hell you doubt you’d need to go to middle school.  
Anyways why exactly are you making a sentient android? Well if someone guessed it was for the money they would be right, but it’s also to keep your mind off of your (Ex?) boyfriend Jake English. Speaking of whom, he has been trying to message you for days, you haven’t replied due to him doing something stupid that pissed you off, which you don't exactly want to talk or think about.

Dirk: Remember when you heard about what Jake did

Days in the past, but not many. Yesterday there had been a party with your friends and some friends of friends. While normally parties aren’t your style you had almost been dragged there by Roxy. It wasn’t very eventful if you had to be honest.   
Roxy had brought some alcohol which about half of everyone there drank. Roxy wasn’t the only one who brought stuff; Kurloz had brought some weed which almost everyone took, you were one of the only ones who remained sober.  
Anyways what exactly are you doing now? Well, currently you are designing a mechanical arm which you plan on selling as a prosthetic. It’s been designed to closely emulate a human arm and will even have an artificial “skin” layer on the top, you expect to finish it in a few days tops.   
As you continue work on designing it you get a message from Jane.

gutsyGumshoe [GG] started pestering timaeusTestified [TT]

GG: hello dirk!  
GG: interesting party last night huh?  
TT: It certainly was interesting  
TT: If I recall correctly you had quite a fun time  
GG: oh hush you!  
GG: just because i left the party with roxy for a bit doesnt mean i had a “fun time” with her  
GG: you know im straight!  
TT: Roxy isn’t  
GG: im pretty sure jake and aranea were the only ones who did anything sexual  
GG: though mituna and latula probably did something while we were gone  
TT: Hold on  
TT: Jake and Aranea?  
GG: oh you didnt know?  
GG: i thought jake would have told you  
TT: What the fuck.  
TT: Excuse me for a second.

Hold the phone, Jake, and Aranea?

TT: You do mean Jake English and Aranea Serket?  
GG: oh dear  
GG: i was under the impression you were in an open relationship  
GG: i guess i was wrong  
TT: Answer the question, Jane.  
GG: yes it was them  
GG: who else  
TT: I need a moment.

You’re going to message Aranea to see if she confirms Jane’s story.

timaeusTestified [TT] started pestering auraticGratified [AG]

AG: Oh hello Dirk, it’s a pleasure to speak with you.  
AG: What do you need?  
TT: If what Jane said is true then you know what I mean  
AG: You mean me and Jake?  
AG: I had assumed you would be alright with it.  
TT: I'm assuming you both agreed to it  
AG: Are you implying that I would have intercourse with Jake without his consent?  
AG: He was ine8riated 8ut that doesn’t mean he didn’t consent.  
AG: It’s kind of you to look out for your 8oyfriend.  
AG: However implying I would do such a horri8le thing as rape another person is downright insulting.  
TT: I’m only looking out for Jake’s safety.  
AG: Ask Jake.  
AG: You’re lucky that I won’t 8lock you for accusing me.

auraticGratified [AG] ceased pestering timaeusTestified [TT]

Well fuck, it appears that it’s true then, you’re going to ask Jake about all this. You hope that he’s okay. Luckily he’s online.

timaeusTestified [TT] started pestering golgothasTerror [GT]

TT: Crazy night last night huh?  
GT: oh hello dirk!  
GT: i cant say i dont agree  
GT: i had a swell time!  
TT: I left for a bit in the middle of the party  
TT: Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?  
GT: oh hold on let me think  
GT: dagnabbit my memory is a bit foggy and i have a bit of a hangover  
GT: it's nothing i cant deal with though!  
TT: Jane told me about you and Aranea  
GT: oh  
GT: is that what this is about?  
GT: oh right  
GT: i assumed youd be fine with it  
GT: but that might have been wrong  
GT: because i was quite drunk  
GT: hello?  
GT: dirk?  
GT: are you there

That fucking idiot, you’re not that mad at him. Yeah, you’re fucking fine with Jake drunkenly cheating on you. Perfectly okay with it. Is what you would say if you were fine with it, which you aren’t. You can’t believe that idiot.

GG: dirk are you alright? jake says you arent responding to his messages  
GG: dirk  
GG: answer me

timaeusTestified [TT] is now an idle chum

GG: oh dear

GT: dirk are you okay   
GT: im talking to jane

timaeusTestified [TT] is now an idle chum

Yep, he’s a fucking idiot, you breathe slowly, in and out. You get why they assumed you’d be fine with it, you’re chill as hell. But combined with the stress of the paperwork shit of getting Dave into school and engineering a mechanical arm you’re not sure if you can take this.

And back to the present, still working on the android. You lean back in your chair, you’re a bit tired, having pulled an all-nighter for this. Staying up for over a day isn’t exactly healthy but it’s not the longest you’ve stayed up. You decide to start making breakfast, you can never have breakfast too early.  
You leave your room and look outside, the sun’s up. You check your watch only to find that it’s 9 am, well then, you guess breakfast is at a normal time. You walk over to the kitchen to grab some eggs from the fridge, then you heat up your frying pan on the stovetop. You crack open two eggs and they plop onto the pan.  
You grab some bacon and add it to the pan after putting eggs on a plate, once that’s done you put the bacon on the plate as well. You set it on the counter and start to walk to Dave’s room.  
As you walk to his door you start to hear stomping around in the room. That’s odd you think dave is normally quiet.   
“Yo, Dave, breakfast is ready!” you yell and then you hear a thud. You decide to open the door only to see dave on the floor in a large black sweater, without his pants, or his glasses. The sweater was a few sizes too big for Dave, it was given by Dave’s friend and Roxy’s sister Rose when she just started knitting  
For most people seeing someone without sunglasses wouldn’t be much of an issue but you know Dave never takes them off, hell he sleeps with them on.  
“Dave, what the fuck?” you say staring at the albino on the floor. Dave stares at you and blinks, with an expression that you’ve never seen him with.  
“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?” he shouts, standing up quickly, in a voice which is obviously his but the tone is more panic-y than what you’d expect from dave.  
“Dave, are you alright?” you say concerned, and your voice shows it. If this is a prank it’s pretty well done, you don’t see any flaws, you step closer.  
“STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, WHO IS DAVE AND WHO ARE YOU” he shouts at you in that same voice as before. You notice he’s trembling  
“Is this a fucking prank Dave?” you ask him, he gestures wildly in response.  
“OH YES THIS IS A FUCKING PRANK HAHA MYSTERIOUS TRIANGLE GLASSES PERSON I TOTALLY FUCKING GOT YOU” he growls, “MY NAME ISN’T FUCKING DAVE IT’S KARKAT, WHO ARE YOU”  
“That sounds like some car a furry would drive,” you shrug still staring at him, “Dave, chill out”  
“FUCK YOU I WON'T CHILL THE FUCK OUT AND I'M NOT FUCKING DAVE, TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON,” his trembling becomes faster, he seems like a trapped animal, ready to fight or flight, he’ll most likely flee based on his body language.  
“Da- Karkat calm the fuck down what the hell” you grit your teeth. Tears start to run down his face as he looks from side to side before staring at you again. He’s breathing fast.  
“TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON,” he shouts his voice still shaky.  
“I know about as much as you, all I know is that my little brother suddenly went fucking batshit crazy and called himself Karkat. Now tell me what’s going on.”  
“I WOKE UP IN THIS ROOM THAT I DON’T KNOW AND SAW THIS PERSON WHO I DON’T KNOW, FOR ALL I KNOW I GOT KIDNAPPED BY SOME WEIRD ASS GAY WEEB,” he waves his hands around in some sort of strange gesture, “WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS PLACE ANYWAY”  
“A house,” you say sarcastically.  
“OH WOW SOME COMPLETELY NEW INFORMATION TO ME I AM IN AWE OF YOUR GENIUS. NO FUCKING SHIT SHERLOCK NOW WHERE THE FUCK AM I”  
“You’re in our house”  
“WHO THE FUCK IS OUR”  
“Me and you”  
“I THINK I’D REMEMBER SIGNING UP TO LIVE WITH SOME BATSHIT CRAZY WEEABU.”  
“Yeah, I know, something is wrong”  
“YOU FUCKING THINK?”  
“No”  
“FUCK YOU”  
“Okay”  
“HOLY SHIT YOU’RE HORRIBLE”  
“I know, want some breakfast”  
“OH WOW, I JUST WOKE UP IN A COMPLETELY NEW PLACE AND APPARENTLY I'M YOUR BROTHER AND NOW YOU’RE OFFERING BREAKFAST?”  
“Yep, good old bacon and eggs, want any?”  
“WHAT THE FUCK? NO!” you hear his stomach growl and you raise an eyebrow  
“MY ANSWER STANDS, I DON’T WANT WHATEVER SHIT YOU MADE, IT'S PROBABLY POISONED.”  
“Well I didn’t add any poison”  
“EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T YOU’RE PROBABLY SO BAD AT COOKING THAT IT'S FUCKING INEDIBLE, WHAT CAN I FUCKING SAY TO MAKE YOU REALISE I DONT WANT YOUR SHITTY FOOD”  
“I’ll bring it to you”  
“I DONT FUCKING- ARGH!” he stomps around loudly shouting stuff, his tears become more intense as the ranting continues and you close the door.  
You have absolutely no clue what had happened to your brother, had he gone insane? Was he fucking possessed? Or could he be playing the world’s worst prank? You walk to the kitchen area and grab the bacon and eggs you prepared for Dave. You walk towards the room inhabited by the crabby asshole who took control of your brother and open the door, setting the breakfast on the floor along with some utensils.  
Contrary to what he said earlier he starts eating it after a few bites to test if it tasted strange. His eating becomes ravenous, like a starving wild animal who hadn’t eaten for days.  
“I thought you said you didn’t want whatever i made?”  
“OH SHUT THE FUCK UP JACKASS, I SAID I DIDNT WANT IT NOT THAT I WOULDNT EAT IT” He has a point, you’ve gotta admit.  
“Could you be quiet for a second I need to call Dave’s psychiatrist”   
“WHY?”  
“He’s being possessed by a grumpy little asshole named Karkat”  
“FUCK YOU”  
“Sure”   
You once again exit the room while the little fucker eats. You scroll through your phone’s contacts until you find the one you were looking for, there we go.  
“Hello, you have reached Prospit Health Institute, my name is Christon how may I help you?”  
“Hey is Doctor Mendy there?”  
“Yes would you like to speak to them?”  
“Yeah it’s about the 10:30am appointment today”  
“Hold on let me take you to him.”  
A few seconds of nothing happening and then you hear a new voice, ah the good doctor.  
“Yo Doc,”  
“Hello is this Dirk Strider?”  
“No this is the pizza guy”  
“Funny, is there a reason you called?”  
“Yeah actually, my bro won’t be able to come to the appointment?”  
“Did something happen”  
“Yeah he started calling himself Karkat he was shouting and I don’t think he recognised me”  
“Did he act like he didn’t see you?”  
“Nah he talked with me, I think he’s possessed”  
“Your brother might have a mental illness but I’d need further testing for a diagnosis, not just a few listed symptoms”  
“Okay dude,”  
“Bring ‘Karkat’ to the appointment today and we’ll see if my hypothesis is true”  
“Alright, got it, seeya Doc”  
You have a feeling today is going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow! Why is Dave acting so strangely? If you already guessed put it in the comments.
> 
> Please give constructive criticism I'd love to hear it!


End file.
